Zootopia: Nick, Judy, and Work
by mraux
Summary: Nick and Judy maybe were the hero of the city, but there is still a ton of work ahead. And They only start to really know each other. So, let's follow them a little further in their lives, who are only starting. My first source of inspiration is DemonWriterX. ( I wanna excuse myself if there is a lot of mistakes down there. I usually write down in french)
1. Chapter 1: Four Month after

Nick was kinda drowning in his bed. His apartment, of course, wasn't a clean one, and it was hard to point if the problem here was his laziness or his incapacity to spend money for a better one. Zootopia was full of habitation too dirty for an animal to live in, but Nick was fine with that. To him, it wasn't really like he lived here for real. He lived with a sentiment of… delay, and this place wasn't really what he could call a home, so why take care of it?

He was sleeping with his headphones on and the smart phone right next to him. A remix of "Oh wonder" stated ringing in his sensible hear as he was slowly waking up. While he was opening his eyes, looking at the ray of the sun who were able to reach the inside of his rat-hole, like he was calling the place where he was used to sleep.

He didn't try to know why the phone was ringing this strong, he was use to sleep with some music, not this strong sound that was pounding his audition, it was a call. A call he immediately denied, while slowly moving his lips to growl. "- Who the f…. Would..."

The next thing he heard was a horrible sound at his door, a sound who mean it was time for here to stand up. With a half-asleep posture, Nick rapidly stood up and walked to his bathroom, washing his face and the fur on his neck. And no more than that, the rest of his body would be under his clothes anyway. Carefully, even if someone was banging at his door, he took care of some details of his face, cleaning his ears and is teeth. The "rat-hole" wasn't that ugly, but just in a classic mess for Nick. At 08: AM, this place was "invaded" by the sun (to Nick). Maybe it was something between the old or the vintage, but, by the window, the sun would gently come by and illuminate the sofa he was resting on. And the rest of the apartments. Inside, two places, a bathroom, with the toilets in it. And the rest, kitchen, bedroom, living room, garage. All into one. A little space for a smart fox, but the roof was strangely high, allowing him to pile up his stuff instead of cleaning it.

"-Nick Wilde, to work" Did he say, his usual smirk starting to appear on his face. A last drop of water on his muzzle, and he was on the move. His cop's equipment was waiting him at the police station. But his police badge was also sleeping with him now. He rapidly put on on of his Hawaiian shirt and the usual pants. While he was gazing upon the badge between his fingers. Amused by the little surge of fear he was feeling anytime he saw it, before, this badge was nothing but problems to him. Now this little toy is giving him the smile. Finally, he opened the door, where a really not amused sheep was glaring at him with nothing but despise in his eyes.

"- Nick..." Did he start

"- If this is about the rent, I wouldn't be the one bothering the cop, Juan." Continued the fox for him, who started to lean on his own door, looking at his phone to try to catch the name of the people who dared call a lazy in such an early hour. Showing with his other pawn the badge, with his name on it. "- This is not like your apartment could be legal in any form with this pest in the hole building..." Continued to say the fox, finally catching the name on the phone: Mom. Ow, ow ow. Maybe next time, no? The vixen could only call him to annoy him, so the later, the better.

But the sheep didn't back off, the eyes of this species was really disturbing, and the fox didn't like to look them back. Their distorted iris was really scaring him off back then. He was really unable to tell what those were thinking, which, to him, was a really disturbing experience. But in fact, the proprietor seems to be scared. Nodding carefully, he just pointed him the stair. "-Someone is..."

"-Yea, someone is waiting for you, Nick!" Did she say.  
"- Whiskers" Whispered the fox, his ears suddenly flattened, as he switch off the screen of the phone.

The look on her face as she climbed the ten last stair to reach him was terrible. And Nick started to sigh, but she didn't let him anytime to explain himself (since he didn't really have anything to say in order to defend what he just did anyway.).

"- Grab your tie, we're going, now!"

"-Okay okay, gimme a sec!"

Seconds later, they were walking on the street. On Judy was continuously pulling him by his tie, while she was incriminating him. The fox, with discretion, was looking at his phone in order to see if his mom was sending him more message. But rapidly, as Judy nearly tore his neck apart, he switched it off again, fearing that she would snap and break it if she saw that he wasn't really listening to her.

"- Nick, it's your second day, YOUR SECOND! And I already see you abuse people with your new status? Are you nuts!?"  
"- Hey, hey there, listen there, carrot, I'm pretty sure that this apartment is really illegal, in fact. I'm not really… abusing, anyone!"

Right away, Nick was violently pulled by his neck-tie. Judy was already wearing her cop clothes and equipment. So she probably already passed by the station, he was late, huh? Her next word confirmed this/

"-Nick! You, you! Arg! You are dirty! You are late! And you even missed the appointment today! It's not because you just got in the police cause of your old act that you can't be late or even absent! People need us out there!"

"-…. People need you, not me" Did he whisper, resisting the urge to answer his phone, who just ringed an instant in his pocket:

"-Don't you dare pick up this phone Nick!" Said the bunny, daring him to do so. But Nick just sighed and made a sidestep, in order to dodge a lion, who gave him the amused glare. It wasn't really cool for a predator to be pulled like a pet py one of those prey, but Nick didn't have the ego to step up for his pride. And Judy was way more dangerous than him anyway… She stopped walking, and turned onto him: nearly climbed on him:

"- You think I didn't hear you? You're so much better than that, Nick!"

Nick who until then was just in his usual lazy mood, didn't hear quite well what she just said, strangely, the remark here did have really have another sonority that the first time he heard it. And he sighed again, making the bunny fulminate:

"- Yeah yeah, of course: The con artist is such an important member of the new crew..."

"-Nick!"

"-What, Judy!? Can't you just gimme those five more minutes of sleep, it's not like you needed me _Right away_. I don't have your routine, okay!"

"- Do not hide behind laziness, Nick! Can't you just try a real work for a time!?"

"- I guess not!" Did he throw back right away. While he burred his hands deep inside his pocket while looking up. They started to howl more than talk, Judy even stopped to walk in order to protest more vigorously as Nick started to refuse to look her in the eyes. Caring less and less.

"-This is important Nick!"

"-To who? Not to me, anyway!"

"-This is important for you, for your... your wealth! Did you see the hole where you live ?! Do you smell it? You really wanna live there all your life ?"

" -I don't really live there!"

"-Yes you do!"

"- And who care about my wealth miss Hoops ? Cause I don't!"

"- Well I do!"

Clearly, one peasants did laugh, Nick was sure of it. But he didn't respond right away, he wasn't capable of it: Shame on him, Judy was still in her momentum and his tone did have something desperate inside it that made the fox suddenly blush of disgrace. Still cursing, the bunny continued:

"- I do even if you don't! I can't stand watching you wasting your time here! I can't stand watching you drowning here away from everyone else ! Away from me!"

Blushing, she noticed the silence of the fox. Who was smirking to hide his shame. The bunny blushed immediately and started to pull him by his tie, again, while she turned her back on him, as she was invaded with a desire to hide herself somewhere,like under an elephant. Some animals around them started walking at a normal speed again, and the fox saw some smirk and even some gestures he didn't stand to acknowledge: He messed up. But darn it made him happy to saw Judy showing so much care about him. He started to open his mouth but the bunny clearly wasn't in the mood to joke anymore.

"- Wow, Whiskers, erm…"

"- Don't you talk anymore, please !" Did she immediately say, while she was nodding to the right and the left, biting her lower lip. Obviously, she have to said it so clearly, nice, everybody will make fun again of the bunny who was nursing the goddamn fox. Why was she doing that, again?

"-Crazy for me, Huh?"

"- Oh my lord, Nick! Just shut up! "


	2. Chapter 2: Hold me Thight

(Hiiii, first of all, thanks you for the rewiew, the favs, and all this. Here i'm trying something else: Big chapter. I don't have a lot of free time (work tfw) but I'm always able to write everyday, but not to post. So i think it will be better for me to post huge chapter per week. if it's unbearable to read, just said it by a private message or a comment, and i will try to make it more separated. Again, I wanna excuse myself if I do any error inside it, don't hesitate to point them out to me!

Here my tumblr, mah deviantart, etc:

Ow, and, did i already said that I LOVE THE FICS OF DEMONWRITERX,OH GAWD, CAUSE I DO)

* * *

"- Well, Can we just talk a little about it? Come on! At a movie, maybe?"

Clearly, Judy wasn't in the mood to respond to him anymore, she wasn't even pulling him as usual. As soon they got past the door of the station, Judy walked right to her place of work, while Nick walked to the usual place the late guy pass by: the boss office. Since he saw that Judy was ignoring him, the fox started to giggle desperately.  
"- Come ON Judy! You're really gonna let me face mister Bull all by myself?"

" - To you, it's still Chief Bogo" Did she growl, Anf she shown that she was refusing to help him with an explicit move of the hand clear enough to make the fox angry.

"- Well, curse you too, Judy!" Did he howl back. In the middle of the station, surrounded or by comrades or by people in a need of help. Since the bunny didn't answer to his insults, the fox started to look at something else that the back of the bunny. Only to met the timid look of Clawhauwser, who was giving him the stupid look, a donut in the mouth and the other on the way to his end. Classic, even if the leopard (and the rest of the station) obviously saw the "discussion", Nick still smirked, and tried to act normally. His hands clutched inside his pocket, he immediately took out his phone and checked it. While starting to walk normally.

"-Everything's nice, Claws'?" Did he whisper, slowly checking the message he got since he left his home. Maybe did the big guy tried to answer, but of course, with the food in the mouth, it wasn't that easy. Hopefully, someone else answered for him. Nick felt it. The glare of the buffalo, down his spine. "- All right, I guess, the office is… this way, right?" silently guessed Nick, looking up only to meet the angry look in the eyes of Chief Bogo.

Some second later, and the fox was in the office of the bull. Nick is a con artist, and a good one. He played with the police for years, and the cops never was a real problem to him. Lecture them, play with them, lead their attention some where else. He was and is still able to do that. But Bogo, oh boy, he never was really able to lecture the guy. This monster look like he eat raw babies for breakfast! and this kind of thing is a prey? A grass-eater? That have to be a joke, this kind of thing couldn't only be build on vegetables, but the questions about biology would have to wait a little. At the moment, get out of the office alive seemed to be a better objectives to focus on. Bogo ALWAYS look angry, and even, the fox would say that right now, the bovine seemed to be in a better mood that Nick was used to see. Maybe didn't he really care about a late officer.

"- This is the first and last time, officer Nicholas." Did calmly say the chief. Putting his heavy paw on his office, looking at some paper through his glasses. Nick silently nodded. Was it all? He was still standing right next to the door, could he leave already? He looked away from Bogo for a sec, looking through the windows of the door, who was blurring everything past it.

"- Come sit in front of me, officer." Continued the bull. Clenching his teeth, Nick moved forward, and sat on the chair nearly too high for him. He was asking himself if Bogo was from some military agency, the bull never had the behavior of a classic cop to Nick. And this stature… Was build from something else that circulation regulation. Putting away his stuff, Bogo joined his hoof and looked at Nick, with an emotionless expression on his face, he talked again:

"- Nick, do you know why I accepted you in this place? Why did I accept such a thief under the roof of a police station?"

"- I'm not a thief, but I guess my C.V impressive enough. Me and Judy did save this city, no?"

The bull didn't answer immediately, he glared into the fox, who sat more deeply into his chair, starting to feel this unbearable sentiment of exposition that he despised:

"- No. I don't know a lot about your role in this affair. Mister Nick, except as a witness."  
"- So why?" Did respond the fox, trying to get rud of his unease by focusing on something else.

"- I accepted you here because the Mayor will it!" Did suddenly roar the bull. "- It was the same to Judy "-Accept one bunny, Bogo, give her the parking, make a move for the diversity of your elements!" and I did accept it! I bear with!"

"- Judy showed that your judgment was kinda… un-objective." Smirked the fox, remembering how his first talk with the Bull did ended, when he had to encourage the bunny for the first clearly Bogo wasn't moved by any modesty, as he stood-up, the pressure of his hooves on his desk clearly increased.

"- Exactly, Mister Fox: Judy proved me wrong! Her result, even at monitoring parking, were astonishing: She never was late! Never was slow! And never was a criminal! Judy got you here with some help of the mayor. But, oh boy, you clearly are not worth it! Next time, you're fired! I will not stand watching a pest like you without handcuff in my station anymore! Am I clear, officer Nicholas !?"

Nick wasn't really the guy who could be impressed by the perspective to lost a job. He never needed one anyway. But the words of the bull made him lost his voice, and he widened his eyes when he heard it. He… He saved this damn city, no? He did worked with Judy on his case, she did need his help, no? But Bogo, of course, didn't really know nor care about that. To him, the prodigy just asked for a favor: Accept the fox with us. And the mayor clearly turn the supplication of the bunny into an obligation: Was he really worth the job? Nick didn't really care about being worth a job or anothing else, before!

" - Am I clear, officer Nick !?"

"- Yes, yes you are!" Finally said back the fox, nodding violently. He was suddenly pissed out, and even got his hand out of their pocket, clenching his claw while responding.?

"-Then get out and go make some circulation observation for me, foxy!"

Nick, the head lowered and the growling discretely, stop up and leave immediately. The word of the bull pulled him back from his moment with Judy in the stake station: She did believe in him, her! Gosh, Bogo was such a douche! But Nick gulped: He deceived her too, it seems. Oh man, if she wasn't believing in him, who would?  
Wouldn't it make them right about him?  
"Damnit! What am I doin'… Dangit!"

Nick, this time without any smile on his face, passed by the local, dressed up, and walked directly to his office, shared with other policeman, this included Judy. Who looked up to him a the second he entered in the place. Nick's eyes were fixing a point on the horizon, and his expression frightened the bunny: It was unbearable for her to hold a real grudge against Nick, she knew this aspect of the lazy, manipulative predator. And maybe was it some maternal care, but Judy was unable to willing for more distance between her and the fox. She stood up and walked to him, and her paw reached over his arm, making Nick notice the presence of the Bunny: The pain in his look bothered Judy, who clenched her fingers, and looked around here: She would have hug him if she was able to, but… Some of her comrades were already bothering her about the fox: She shouldn't have to sek for him every morning, they were disapproving her care for him. She was younger, she had responsibility: And taking care of Nick weren't part of it. So, slowly, her hand released the grip onto Nick arm. He was the first to open his mouth this time, and his tone made Judy bite her lower lip: Nick really seems moved by what he just got trough:

"- Hey, Carrot. Gotta work, excuse me, can I walk over here without getting my arm ripped off?"

"- … Are you alright, Nick?"  
"- It's all fine, Whiskers, don't you have a job to do?" Said Nick, smirking again as he got to his own place. Judy's eyes followed him until he sat down on one of the chair in the room. Bogo finished to expose the works of the day since some hours, Judy and her team was already speaking with each other, and clearly some people were waiting for her to come as she was standing here. Looking for Nick's care. With a move of the hand, he gently pushed her toward her team. But Judy was already feeling bad for their previous discussion. She joined her hand, stroking at her fingers with hesitation, she didn't stand to look up inside his eyes, and slowly answered a last time, her hand scratching the back of her head:

" -You said… Maybe we should talk, at a movie, tonight?"

" - !..Yeah, that a good idea, you're right..." Slowly responded the fox, Judy was so straight-forward, even in public? As he blushed, the fox felt the smirk of the other cops on his back: Judy don't even think about her exposition: the idea was maybe from him, but everything that come out from the mouth of Nick was a semi-joke, he didn't thought seriously that she will accept it. Maybe was it because she was a bunny, no? To them, with their family of at least 500 members, a date was probably like a salutation. But, as Judy smiled, reassured, and leaved. Nick hidden his blush behind his paw, slowly go down in his seat. He was the real ermit here, maybe Judy wasn't from the city; but she was way more able to empathize here than Nick. Nick didn't have friend, he had relations, or even worse, pawns. He didn't really feel the care of anyone since maybe five years. And Judy was so straightforward to him! Always ready to pull him anywhere on the map. At concert, movie, etc... But it was pleasant to the fox, so why complain?

But now, it was just… Lame. Nick was feeling so lame in comparison to her, it was bullying him. He started to feel like he don't _deserved_ someone like Judy as a friend. But hopefully, work started to occupy his mind more that his individual problem. Since he wasn't present for the summary of the day, Nick didn't know on what case Judy was working. But he did knew where he had to go: Circulation. Merely a work, more a punishment. But wasting his day on the street wasn't so different that what he was doing before: With the exception that he was making less money than ever. Why was he gathering all that cash, already? Hawaii? A journey? To prove something to dad? Why continue to do less now?

A Popsicle between his teeth, Nick was already somewhere else. Literally, time sure fly fast when you're lost in your thought. And Sun was setting high on the streets of Zootopia, he was near the junction to the Sahara quarters. No need to explain why he needed some popsicle here. But Nick, as usual, wasn't really working, from a well placed shadow, he was looking down the street, not too far away from his car. He should be inside it, but working alone was already too much of a bother for the fox. He needed to breath something else than the foul air of his vehicle. Bit the heat outside wasn't especially more bearable. Sunglasses on, Nick leaned on his own car. And looked at the populace, at the life. Zootopia was one noisy city, no doubt. Nick was wondering how Judy, from her countryside and with her powerful hearing, was able to deal with that constant noise. Nick himself didn't liked it, but he was more quick to blur it out. Noise and color were used to mix up rapidly to Nick when he was lost in his thought.

People walking, jogging. Some noise, some sound. A lot of Music. Nick was biting the wood of his Popsicle when a suspect noise woke him up from his sleepy status. A giraffe was approaching him. Nick couldn't tell the look on her face, she was just too tall, and the sun too bright.

"- Can I do something' for you?" Did he say, hopefully, the giraffe lowered herself to talk to him. His neck twisting itself in a hypnotic way.

"- Yes, please. I just noticed an extortion! Just one street ahead, in this dark alley!" Said the mammal with a spark of panic, pointing some place with his hand.

There should be more giraffe in the police, thought for a moment the fox: Gift of the nature, those natural watchers had more height to notice those kind of problem. But the mind of Nock was twisted by another question: No need to say, Nick knew all the criminal here around maybe a kilometer: Extortion was rare, no-existent. Who the heck stated those kind of activities here? Nick hesitated for a sec, but his glasses hid his disappointment: His shouldn't act on case like this, but he couldn't act like it has no deal with him: That why he should have stayed inside his car, thought Nick for a sec. Then he stoop-up, just after he picked the phone inside his car.

"- Thanks a lot, mam', I go take care of it."

"- But you didn't even took your taser!" Did she continue, insisting and even grabbing him by the shoulder; Nick looked in his car by the windows; Yep, he didn't took it. He was chillin' here, inside. But Nick laughed:

"- I don't need it, mam'. No need to bother, you can walk away, I don't think I will need your testimony for this, just wait me here if you're bothered, milady!" Responded Nick, who was laughing. Ironically, his insolent attitude did reassure the witness, and Nick jogged rapidly to the alley that the giraffe pointed. It was true, An elephant was surrounded by a massive amount of… Oh. Oh no:

"-What the heck, Finnick!"

The tiny fox, clearly threatening the elephant with a stupidly huge gun he difficulty held with his two hand. Immediately turned when he heard the fox, and his minions as well. Nickwas impressed by the amount of knifes, gun, and spoon he found pointed at his figure. But Finnick voice probably stunned his gang:

"- Nick? Oh my god, Nick, where have you been? And wat' is the shitty dress? Is dis already carnaval?" Asked un-politly the fennec, who let the head of his gun hit the floor in order to pull off his massive sunglasses to assure himself he was really glaring at Nick.

"-What!? Wait wait wait, Finn! Why the fuck are you threatening this poor guy with a gun?!"

"- Gotta make money for eat, Nick! U dare asking me why? Boy, you disapeared, and my money too, with you!"

"- Oh gosh, Finn: I told you I was a cop now!"

The sunglasses of the fenneck dropped on his muzzle again. As he burst in laughter:

"- You mean, Haha! You mean...That wasn't a joke ? Oh my god, Nick,a cop? You?"

"- Yes, me, Finn". Answered the fox, a smirk slowly growing on his face. "- And, by the way, a cop arrest criminal, you know?"

"- Hahaha! Nick? Oh, you're serious: Well you know, if at least you could have warn me that you walked away from the path of money, maybe I wouldn't have to extort people for fun, hrm, for money! You were the con artist, not me!"

"- But Finn! I did warn you!"

"-Well I thought it was another of your stupid joke!"

"- Can I leave now?" Asked terribly timidly the huge mammal in the background. Shivering discretely: The fennecs around him were hesitating between laugh and fear. The elephant sue was frightened, but if he'd blacked-out here, he would crush maybe ten of them.

"-What? Oh, yes you can!"Did answer the tiny leader. As Nick started to lean on and laugh uncontrollably. It was maybe stupid, but it felt so nice to meet someone he actually was really close from! And even if Finn never looked so friendly, the fennec seemed to be happy to saw him too. Dropping his realistic heavy water-gun, Finn walked toward Nick while opening his arm, his gang starting to move by itself. Some guys started to leave when other came greet Nick by themselves. But rapidly, Finn and Nock were left alone in this alley. Where they started to talk, seeing the situation from afar with her high point of view, the giraffe was already terribly impress. Nick did left with the intention to solve the problem simply with his language as only weapon, but it was even more simple than that finally. Him and the fennec continued to talk a while, the tiny guy followed him to his car, where the giraffe silently walked away, discretely saluted by the fox with the usual smile on the face. At least he surely impressed someone today! The two rapidly leaned on the car, even in the shadow of the structures around, the steel was still burning hot. But Nick and Finn didn't really mind: In Zootopia, you learn to adapt to such conditions.

"- How do you make these without me?" Said the fennec when Nick handed over a popsicle.

"- Let's just say that I keep some in my fridge, in case."  
"- God Nick, You FEED on that? You need to eat something else than those, man!"  
"- Hehe, I'll give it a thought, yes..."

Finn smirked: He didn't knew any case of fox that could sustain on icecream only. But Nick was surely compensating by something else. It was true that the fox only have those in his apartment, but Nick was always able to eat whatever he want wherever he wanted. Surely with on trick or another, but the fox never accumulated something else that those Popsicle. Maybe did he just really love them… Hours started to fade as the two were talking about the past:

Finn stretched his back, looking straight up in the sky, were light started to fade. When Nick was watching at his talkie-walkie: No call for him, surely he would have saw some crime if he had stayed on the street. But at least, no one really needed him today: The two did talk at least since two hours, about money, about life. How they were running now. How was the new job to Nick. How was the new tricks for Finn. Who was basically running at black-market where he was able to find any movie for anybody. The kind of movies we don't watch with the rest of the family.

"- And the bunny? She's the one who got you inside, no? How is she doin'?"

Biting the stick of the popsicle he ate a long time ago, Nick muzzle moved up:

"- She's fine, Finn. She's doing great now that everybody accepted her at the station. Even the bull smile to her"

"-… Are you jealous, Nick? Is that jealousy that I see right there? Hahaha! Man! What are you doing there if you making less money?"

"-… I don't know why was making so much money in the first place, you see?" Smirked the fox. Finn wasn't a sensible being, but this phrase was so unbelievable from a fox that he understood right away that Nick deeply changed: Something changed him, more than 10 years in this city could have done. It was scary to see that a being like Nick could give up so easily on his way of life.

"- No I don't, Nick. Why do you still bother yourself with her?"

"- I guess I like her presence, tiny guy !? Did you never hanged out with your friend?"  
"- Well, yes! But I didn't gave up on my _life_ for them."

Nick eyes widened: "- Wha? Hey, I didn't do that!"

"- Oh you didn't? Well, why don't I see you in the street anymore? Why don't I see you outsmarting little mammals and big ones? Man, what are you even doin' in this weird dress?"

"- Maybe did I just want to make something else that losing time down these street, no?"

"-Losing time? Man, you passed the whole day, leaning over that car. Is there someone handcuffed on these backseat? No! You are losing time right now!"

Nick didn't answered.  
He couldn't.  
His hand reached his mouth and pressed his jaws, as his eyes looked all over the place. Finn was right, was it the end of the world yet? Why Nick was still doing this? Why didhe go throght those harsh month of study only to get a "work" he didn't really wish for? It's not like he couldn't met Judy out of the job, he could just… live like he was used to do, without have to rise at 05:00 AM. Without have to bear the glare of Bogo or those people who were seeking help in him at the sight of the police badge.

Finn saw that the fox was in a strange distress: he never saw Nick like this… He never saw him… Unable to respond, outsmarted. And it did scare the fennec: "- What did this prey did to you, buddy?"

Nick started to open his mouth when his talkie-walkies suddenly started to scream.  
"- Nicholas? Nicholas! We have a pursuit in Zootopia Center, to Sahara Zone. They're two and they're fast! One car, one motorbike! They're not sane, I repeat they're not sane! This is dangerous!"  
This voice wasn't feminine, the rhino? McHorn? No, it was Bogo? He was on the streets!?

"-Officer Nicholas! Are you in your car? We are on the communication channel! We need you, he's going on your perimeter!"  
Nick immediately get the car, the key appeared in his hand and the motor started to roar, maybe by reflexes, Finnick jumped in, turning on the channel. The sound busted in their earrings.

"- What the heck, Finnick? Get out!" Screamed the fox, then he pushed up the button of his phone:

"- Roger that. Nick, to Bogo: Where are they heading to?"

The tone of the fox was perfectly calm, but Finnick didn't walked out. He didn't answered neither, but smiled. "- Gotta see the job, I guess." Was saying his face. But Nick focused on the channel, hand on the steering wheel. Clearly Bogo had to restrain himself to not burst in insult right away; this wasn't the time to ask for explanations.

"- We don't know, but they're going to Sahara. I'm losing them! Nicholas! There is not a lot of officers headed to this zone, we can't draw them into a perimeter! They're nuts, they're ready to go out of the road!"

Nick eyes widened when he noticed that Bogo wasn't respecting the rules of the communication channel: he was nervous, too nervous. The wheels started to scratch as Bogo was giving more precisions, he's was on a departmental (here, I refer as a french way to codify road, I don't know if this is the same in your country, but to resume. This is nearly a highway ), Bogo started to lose because they were _back to front_. God! Nick started to sweat, and the smile that he shared with his friend suddenly started to die: It wasn't fun at all. Without perimeter, this guy… This guy was going to drive at full speed _into people_. This was the end of the day, This was a peak hour of circulation!

"- Roger that! Who is with me, Bogo?"

"- Everybody near of the Sahara entrance! You're all blocked by the circulation! I don't think those mad cows will mind about the circulation! "

Nick was effectively dealing with a surprising amount of car. Finnick open the windows and placed rather efficiently his siren, for someone who only learned to flee from them. Nick mind was now very far away from the idea of getting him out of the car: He was going to need him.

"- No officer on the ground… Finnick, I need you to bring me at the exit of the departmental, and the fast way!" Nick was to far away. To make it in time… This guys were going to fast, "- LEFT!" screamed the tiny fennec with his ridiculously huge voice. Only to scream loudly as he flew out of his seat to finish behind Nick:

"- Put your goddamn belt, Finn! This is serious!"  
"- I'm on it I'm on it! Don't you bother, go faster!"

Nick lipped his lips; he was managing the circulation quite well: Very well, in fact. Nick never was quick on his feet. Judy was way more durable and fast than him. But, maybe was it the reflexes of the predator inside him, but Nick reactivity was way above those of a bovine. Surely the fox was smart and cold-blooded enough to not lose any concentration, and to not suffer any "lag". Right, left, he handed the steering wheel violently and without any of his usual smoothness. But correctly, through many place a car weren't mean to go.

The tiny fennec continued to listen to Bogo's information. But turned of his phone to see n the news about it: There was a helicopter on the case, Finn usual calm face turned to white as he saw the madness on the road. There were not in the good way, and at a stupid speed. The helicopter was saw from far enough by the drivers in order to push them on the side, but some weren't smart enough. He gulped as he saw the motorbike run into a car who wasn't able to dodge him. "- One left." Did he calmly say, even if he never saw any people die like that on tv, the video downed at the same moment: But he still clearly saw what happened. At full-speed, it was probably a predator, something canine: He completely flew off his vehicle only to fall onto the ground, leaving a gross black-red-meaty mark on the ground, no one could survive that:

"- Surely dead. LEFT!" Did he said again. But Nick didn't even look at him, he didn't even started to question him. And followed the direction right away.

"-One left." Did confirm the bull. The tone of his voice unusually low: He saw it too. And he was still looking at it. "- They're nuts…." Did he repeat slowly. But another voice suddenly invaded the channel, other cops, who were trying to reach the exit. Nick heard the panic in the voices. A deaf turtle could have perceive it:

"- They're going to roll over people!"

"- We're too far, we need someone on the ground to disperse the people!"

"- There will be blood if you don't reach them Chief!"

"- Shit, shit, shit!"

"- Is someone close to the exit, please!"

"- Shut it! We can't hear Bogo!"

"- There is no way to arrive before the car reach the entrance, and those guys won't stop at a barrage of one or two car! They're at something like 160 Mph!"

Nick didn't responded as the chaos was started to install itself. Bogo voice rapidly took over the channel. A lot of officer muted themselves, some gulped and slowed down, paralyzed by this sentiment of un-reality and fear that a lamb show to you as your headlight shine upon them.

"- IS SOMEONE NEAR THE DEPARTMENTAL EXIT?" Screamed Bogo in the channel, putting everyone else to silence.

"- I am." Said Nick, with a voice muttered by the surprise. "- I… I am! How can I stop him?"

"- YOU DON'T, GET THE MOST PEOPLE OUT OF THE WAY! The journalist helicopter is reaching you! They're just ahead of him! AND WHERE IS OUR HELICOPTER!?"

Nick eyes twitched as his car was slowing down: The circulation was stopped. Rapid calculation, to many people, too many cars. Not enough time and not enough officers… To drive and to use the speaker at the same time… Usually, there was always a duo on watch like this, but Nick lost one this morning, by being late.

Finn and Nick glare meet, the tiny fennec hardly stoop up, seizing with difficulty the speaker. And Nick huge feet stomped the pedal as the car accelerated forward. From now on, Finn was not a tiny fennec in a car way to huge for him, not anymore: He was now the voice of the law. As if some Juge Dreed speaked by his little mouth, the amplified voice immediately shocked the people from a far. The intention was here, but the way of speaking wasn't so professional: But at least the fennec had some result :

"- A CRAZY CAR IS COMING AT YOU RAPIDLY, DRIVEN BY SOME DRUNK SICK FUCK! YOU SAW THS HELICOPTER? IT'S JUST AHEAD OF IT! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF YOUR CAR AND TO GET OUT OF THE SIDEWALK, THIS MAN GONNA ROLL OVER YOU LIKE IF YOU WERE SOME COINS ON A DIGITAL SCREEN! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, GO INSIDE BUILDINGS, BURST DOORS IF YOU HAVE TO BUT GET OUT OF THE ROAD AND THE SIDEWALK! "

" Well this is the end of my career" Thought the fox. Not only it was more invitation to the panic to explain the situation like this, but it wasn't very respectful either. But the huge scary voice of the fennec seemed to make his effect.

Nick would probably have fainted in laugh if he didn't catch the light of the helicopter at something like one or two thousand meters away: The exit was right there, at 100 meters of him. Nick and Finn were here before them: But how could they stop them? No barrier, and again too much people: Get out of the car and aim for the wheel? Ah! He didn't even have a taser with him: Too late to get weapons. Duh. Ironically, Nick had to stop, even if the sirens was still ringing, to get past the point of contact was useless. To stand in the way was useless. Nick wasn't going to stay in the car in order to place himself on the ay of someone who weren't going to stop: Dying wasn't a thing he would like to do. He had less that ten second to thought about it: he choose with two:

"- Finn, out of the car, take the speaker and draw people away!"

Looking at the light closing the carrefour, the tiny brute didn't even discuss: Nick's plan was usually the good one: And if flew out of the car, continuously insulting people with the huge speaker he held with difficultly.

" A boldness contest with a mad man? An impact between car? What speed? And after? If not perfect, I would just slow him down, the pursuit will continue? How far are the other… How, when..." A incredible amount of thought flooded in his mind. But his hand grabbed the steering wheel without perturbation, without… fear. Nick strongly bit the stick of the popsicle that he kept between his lips. The crazy car was closing in, and Nick didn't really know what was the right thing to do. He just… He just remembered it all:

" _A good functionnement of an airbag increase the chance of survival of a conductor wearing his security belt by 25%. If the impact throw you to the front, even an airbag wouldn't really protect you, some millisecond late and you will hit the ballon as he start to be fill in gaz: It will break your nervous system: Alive, but chair. You can triggered yourself, not by hitting the steering wheel – it is useless, airbag are created to not trigger by error- but by simply pushing the right button under the steering wheel. Airbag have many default: Remember that an impact from the side maybe won't trigger the airbag. As it trigger, an airbag may cause you burn over the arm, some abrasions and even cause you a trauma if you're are to close from the steering wheel."_

 _Nick wasn't totally awake, school never was his thing, no wonder why he dropped out of it. But this was indeed kinda boring...The massive gorilla who was leading the instruction picked up his stick and pointed the picture on the screen. Then continued:_

" _The sound can also hurt your eardrums, but we don't really care about that, don't we? Anotherun-fun fact: It is dangerous for tiny people. Yes Nick, i'm looking at you! Simply cause,_ _with_ _your_ _short_ _arm, you_ _shorties_ _naturally_ _already_ _kiss the steering wheel with your muzzle when the accident happen. So remember, if you saw the crash comin', all of you pull yourselves back deep in your seats! Then you trigger it by yourselves BEFORE the accidents occurs! The airbag will be filled in less than 150 millisecond. And he will deflate MINUTES after, so don't hesitate. The airbag don't have to trigger as the accident happen, we do not seek for a force of opposition who will affect you at the same time: your nervous system may not survive it. So..."_

"-Trigger it yourself" Whispered the fox to no one.

He spitted out the stick and clenched his paws on the steering wheel, pressing down the pedal. Nick did wish to freak out or something like this, he wished he was able to feel something at this moment, but it seems that the adrenaline had completely took over his feelings. The fox guessed that was the kind of moments Judy used to go through back then, on this train. Nick guessed that was it: it was integrity, boldness, madness, cold-blooded reaction. As everything else speeded up in his brain. This reflexion made him think about the bunny. Then as he saw the car coming at him with her frightening speed, Nick pulled on his belt, to activate the pretension. And pushed the button . The airbag didn't squish him on his seat. It _smashed_ him into.

Nick's car burst out at the side of the crazy car. Not at a perfect perpendicular degree, who would have meant instant death for the two of them. If the crazy car was at maybe 130 or 120 kilometers per sec, Nick came by his side at maybe 100 kilometers per sec. At an angle who would be 70 degrees. Bogo, with McHorn, his mate. Suddenly stop talking in the channel as the two car met each other at maybe less that a hundred meters from at extremely dense crownd. The sound they heard wasn't mean to exist in reality: It was the kind of scream that only the metal could produce. The kind of thing we only here at a Mad max movie or else. Finn strong voice also muttered and he turned back on the accident, people who were flying there cars held there breath: This was to brutal to be seen. Too stupidly violent, No one could assimilate the accident, only some animals with unusual visual sharpness caught the whole accident. Nick car was less fast, the crazy car came from his right, and the first right wheel of Nick's Car immediately busted. The car head twisted ridiculously. And the fox's car flew back, the crazy car, even with his speedy, completely lost any control on his path and slipped on the left.

To slip at this speed mean another thing: You're going trough hell. The wheels weren't smooth enough, no luck. To do a barrel may seems funny, but from the inside of a car, it isn't.

As the car started to roll over them, people started to scream and move backward An insane crowld move as one far away from the upcoming crash. Finn didn't need to roar in this speaker anymore, and ran by himself the furthest he could. Finally the car did met the first stopped car, hopefully empty. The two vehicles seemed to melt together at the moment of the impact, but the broken windows and the sound clearly showed that wasn't so smooth. Nick's car did indeed leave the ground for a second, making a complete turn. Finn wasn't looking, and haven't any experience in accidents. But Bogo vehicle reached the place and stopped down as the bull cop rushed out of the car.

One glare was enough to the bull to understand the situation: Nicholas disobeyed, bold, but he get result. At least his car wasn't upside-down, but to run willingly run into a car crash… Bogo and Mc Horn separated. The Bull going for Nick and the Rhino to the mad driver. There wasn't any steam, but the shock left in the air an odor of burning steel. Rushing to Nick emplacement, the bull clenched his fist: In was sad to contrast it, but the mad driver probably hay more chance to get out unarmed from this crash: He was faster, and Nick was the one who took the head of a car into his vehicule. If doing roll is impressive, the armature of a car protect you quite well during the accident. But when the shock come from the side like that, if the airbag isn't fast enough, your neck just snap.

Bogo could have hesitated longer, but that wasn't his type. He didn't even snort, only some sweat on his neck showed his tension. He was starting to slow down, he was scared to look into the car, he knew it. Bogo only slowed for a sec, then bend over the car, windows were broken, but the airbags did trigger. Maybe Nick wasn't unharmed. Maybe he wouldn't have to live the rest of his existence in a bed: Bogo, for a moment, felt incredibly powerless: He was powerless during all this pursuit, was powerless over his troop, and was powerless even to Nick, who didn't listen to his orders. Stretched through the windows, he caught a slight sight of the fox's fur, the airbags weren't down yet; but he saw him, a part of his face at least. The rest were buried under the pressure of the balloon. He wasn't conscious, was he alive? With difficulty, the bull stretched his arm inside the car, twisting the metal with his herculean strength. Even so, he reached with difficulty the wrist of the Fox. Of course, it was forbidden to _pull_ him out. It would maybe break his limb, or even releasing the pressure could cause a trauma if he wasn't doing it properly. No, it was to catch a _pulse._ And, when the heavy hooves of the chief of the police station reached the tiny predator, Bogo stopped to breathe. Nor did he made a single noise.

…

Yeah, all good. At least this cop was fine: Since he knew he had to waitto pull him out, Bogo pulled himself out og the wrecked car. And sought for his partner. On the other side McHorn was rising his thumbs, so the fucker as alive, heh. Bogo wasn't sure to be happy about it. Maybe it would have been for the better if this guy would have finished like his friend on the departmental. As one of those heavy stain who remain on the ground forever. But this kind of internal debates were the credo of policeman: You apply justice, you do not discuss it. The bull snorted, and runned back to his car, only to speak in the channel:

"- The guy's stopped! I Would like the remaining present officers to help the ambulance and the rest of the crw to arrive here. We got two… no? Three wounded animals." Rectified the bull, when the run showed two fingers. Since the vehicles weren't losing gasoil, and the motors clearly shut down, it was a least sure that they weren't getting any fire nor explosion on top of that. As chief Bogo continuously stayed by the channel to share more information. McHorn posting itself on the side where people started to accumulate: The one who got his car mushed up was already running to the policeman with an expression of pure disappointment and distress on his figure.

"- Roger That! Chief Bogo? Chief Bogo please! Here is Judy! Tell me/"

"- Aren't you on a case, Hopps? Leave this channel immediately!"

"- Well yas I am, without my _partner_ 'cause of you! Tell me he didn't stop that car!"

"- I told it Judy, three _wounded_ people. Not dead. He'll be fine – at least until he get out of hospital, then I probably kill him myself-, now leave this channel! Aren't you undercover?"

"- Not really, you know it! Please let me get to Sahara Square!"

"- Oh no you don't, Officer Judy, other people need you to focus on your job: Leave this channel this instant!"

"- ….Roger that. Judy Hopps, off."

The bull didn't hear quite well the insubordination in her voice. But he canceled the channel anyway. Walking out of the car with only his talkie walkie at his belt. Finally, the rest of the help were arriving. As the sun was completely setting down on the scene, the sirens of the ambulance screamed louder and louder. From afar, a tiny fennec ran and covered the distance between him and the wrecked car. Finn was still draggins the speaker to heavy for him, but discretly ran under MHorn who didn't noticed the buddy. He found a way to his friend, or at least his partner, way more tiny than the bull and able to reach the fox in the wrecked car. "- They're here, big guy! They're coming for yah, I'm just behind! You can count on it! I'm just behind" Muttered the fennec. Who widened his eyes es he looked at Nick, that he could saw way more correctly than the bull: Nick was breathing, painfully, but he was breathing. "- They're comin', just you wait..." Did he muttered again. Unable to believe that Nick did what he just did. "- Oh lord, Nick, what did that prey did to you?"


	3. Chapter 3: Seek under the Fur

First of all, Thanks for your rewiews. I'm not use to get those so it made me really happy. Here another long chapter, which this time follow Judy right after Nick's accident. And with her come a lot more new characters and another side of the police work (one very used in fan'art): undercover work. Next chapter will be about Nick AND Judy after those long nights of work. There is time for them to appear along to eachother in this fic.

If the news characters interrest you,let me know. Don't fear anything. nick and judy relationship will remain the center of the fanfic. But a have the intention to slowly augment the number of side-characters. Each one coming with a new case or problem:

Another Con-Artist. Journalist fighting the police. Bellwether's minions. More _savage poison_ and more Finnick, pls.

* * *

To follow the whole accident on her phone was... terrifying. She shouldn't do that, she was busy with her own case, and even if Judy wasn't a cold-blooded officer, she should have been professional enough to mute herself. At least while she was… here. The light of her phone was reflecting in her eyes, her hand twitched a last time as she rewound the scene.

She gulped as she saw the car crashing, no sound, only the discussion between two journalist, who were starting to draw a scheme about what happened. From the sky, the crash was even more frightening, the people were running like ants, witnessing the arrival of a gigantic foot of steel and fire, ready to smash them. She bit her lower lips, nobody could get out unhurt of such a clash. Her violet pupils seemed to shorten for a moment. Seconds later, she was talking to Bogo, while she was looking at her own reflection, she was in some toilet. Not dressed as a cop, but as a civilian.

The light were bright, the kind of color who wasn't use to help you see. But to get you more and more lost. Some word were exchanged, Judy was put back in her place, and some seconds later. She was still there, she was still frenetically rewinding those image. Trying to figure out some possibilities where Nick was just getting out before the crash occurs. But no orange fur, no orange ant on the screen. Only fire, and a figure that should be Bogo, probably talking to her when the camera from the helicopter filmed him.

Another time, another time. She was still looking at the image, stunned. When someone started to bang at the door. Judy nearly jumped off the toilet seat she was sitting on. Since how long was she sitting here, spacing out? In two steps, she was nearly outside, but she froze as she passed by the mirror: She realized that she was in a horrible state. Her ears were lowered, and her face was soaking wet, covered by sweat, and tears. She gulped and washed her fur rapidly. It was weird, but the light were disturbing her way to _feel._ The water and her hand seemed to fade away too rapidly. Or was she slowing down? The door banged again and Judy walked out the toilet.

"- Get it together, Cutie" Growled the leopard who was waiting her just outside.  
"- I'm okay, It's okay, where are they?"

Judy was maybe in civilian, but she was also on duty. And her side, the very handsome _yet very arrogant_ snow leopard, officer Murdock. Also wearing civilian clothes. The two of them were in Tundratown. In a nightclub. But not any nightclub: "Below the Fur".The kind of club filled with the kind of people you can't see alone on the sidewalk. The people who were here were present more for business than real fun. Unless they were too worn out by their constant illegal activities. To get inside it was hard enough. It wasn't even an illegal place, and that was exactly the problem, by the way. To get a policeman inside was impossible, only VIP were allowed. Luckily, Judy had one on her side, one who could get her inside. Her and her "friend".

They weren't just roaming between VIP and criminals, they had targets, they had a duty. To track Bellwether Lefthover, her plan needed friend. Many friends. Vip preys, even some credule predators thirsty for power. They were seeking for the people who survived Bellwether failure. People who could try to make her dream live on.

Murdock pointed the duo they were tracking since they got inside Tundratown. And the rabbid tried to llok between the people and fur to see them from her height. In this VIP club, everything was kinda allowed. Big bovine… Tiny prey...Microscopic rodent… That was also why Judy and him were choose for this case: Judy because she could get them inside, and Murdock because… Because he was handsome. The two didn't get along well, probably because Murdock was continuously calling her "cute". Which was funny the first time, and less and less the thirty other ones who followed. At least Murdock was able to bear the ambiance here. Judy had to get a hold on herself permanently in this place! People were…. Were stripping, it was clearly a strip club designed into a bar: "Below the fur", in the past, was even incriminated because they were suspicion that they served _meat…_ More a joke and a rumor that a true statement. But now that she was inside… It wasn't so hard to believe anymore. Here, inter-species relation were suggested. And it was impressive to watch: A huge lion, dressed up in a suit, was purring as a small sheep lady was laughing, sat between his legs, probably listening to some joke. On another huge coffin, a slender male gazelle was timidly leaning in his place. Visibly served by one incredibly fit she-bear.

Judy was unable to stop looking at them. At least this spectacle was distracting her enough to let go on her thought about Nick and his recent accident. But a pat on the shoulder pulled back her attention: Yes, Mission, target.

"- Here they aaare, look at them, Cutie: Two Goat, two, tiny, grass-eater, who hide their fangs..."

Judy nodded negatively. Murdock was really really hard to get along with. Was he racist? Maybe. Misogynist, certainly! Judy never had enemies that she hated, but she was certainly _despising_ this guy. He was always suggesting that predator's supremacy in the old time was still there, in other ways… That herbivores were starving to them as male sex-symbols. And that the predators ways of hunting were still subsisting, as ways to pick up on the prey. To listen to him was hurtful, but at least, Murdock was easily moving in this crowd. Lewd enough to look like he was used to the place, and class enough to tell that he wasn't here just to get drunk. Judy wasn't able to say that much. She had witnessed more child born that Murdock probably saw in his whole life. But still this place was making her blush in shame. How people could get so, so _lewd, so aroused_ in public? Bunnies were know for there capacity to procreate. And she found it suddenly ironic. She thought her customs would always be more open-minded than those from Zootopia, but now, she was realizing that she was wrong: Murdock, him, didn't seem so disturbed.

The target were two goats. A couple. Apparently important enough to appear in Bellwether notes. The snow leopard started to bite on his Toothpick. He noticed Judy's trouble, and shook her off:

"- Hey, Cutie, Now that you got me in, no need to… stay here, shivering. Watch over me, who know: They could be smart enough to _trap_ me..."  
"- I get it, Murdock! Go on, do your thing! I stay here, _shivering._ Okay ?"  
"- Cool! Then I'm on it!" Did he say, as he started to walk toward them. He added with a sign. "- He, watch over yo'self a little too, okay? This place is full of _predator_ , not all with claws. So stay alert and don't finish in a body bag, please..."

 _Yeah, no one w_ _ill eat_ _tha_ _t bunny, you can chill out, you sneaky leopard. I'll just wait… Carefully, not watching over… This hare…_ _and this...huge,_ _wolf_ _._ _Oh my lord, Did really spend enough time here to be a "regular"? Dangit! I can't stand this, are they kissing? Really?_ _I thought place like this weren't existing anymore!_ _Alright, I'm off._

Judy was wearing her usual civilian clothes, her red shirt with squares. And a tight jean, maybe a little too tight, in fact. At "Below the Fur", you didn't have to wear suit and expensive dress, if you had the right to get in, you also get the right to get in naked. So nobody really minded the country-side bunny who sat at the bar. Looking at the back of Murdock as he walked through the crowd. She was also wearing glasses, not to rectify her ability to see but simply to hide most of her face: Judy was still know by the population. Three month ago, her and Nick were on the head of all the magazine or the T.V itself : "Savors of the predators…".She even was on the cover of "Bunny Talk" Recently! Not that would be a problem that a cop would be recognized here. (Even if it would be a bad publicity that a model officer was into this kind of entertainement.) And in fact, anybody who would look at her for more than twenty second would recognize her. But she was wearing those that, from afar, these two goats to immediately recognize her. Their connections with Bellwether would clearly made them enemy to the tiny rabbit who made the evil-mind fall on her knees in front of the law and her judgment. If these two recognized her, they would immediately flee from this place. So she was keeping the distance, as Murdock was closing in. At the bar, she asked for some carrot juice.

To look over the leopard was important. Those two goats could be dangerous, who knows!? They were Bellwether connections! To what? They didn't know, and they were trying to figure it out: But Judy wasn't able to focus, not with… _this_. Slowly, she took out her phone, and started checking image again… The same and the same. Chief Bogo wasn't calling back, nobody were calling back. Judy swallowed deeply, carefully checking her face with the back of her hand. She was getting sweaty again, to look at those picture… She turned back and put her phone away, screen on the bar that she couldn't see it anymore. She was sobbing desperately, and was grounding her temples: How could this happen to Nick ? She should have been with him! They were a duo! They would have figured out another way to stop them! At least he was alive, he was alive… But how was he doing? Rapidly, the thoughts started to scream in her heads. Coma, Broken bones, _Paralysis…_ How many cops ended in that condition? _How many people ended in that condition after a car accident? And at this speed!_ She jumped as she thought she hears the steel run into the ground, but someone was just putting a pawn on her shoulder. Someone tall.

"- Hey! Hey, chill! Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you..." Said the specimen, while he was laughing a little, surprised. That was a small predator, someone who had the same stature as Nick. Not a canine, a feline. With… strange...long ears, she didn't knew such a specie.

"- Jolander, Serval." Did he says, pointing his ears. "- Strange, isn't it?".  
Judy had a smirk, well that was an approach!  
"- Judy, yes, I'm sorry, I can't help but stare at them!"  
"- I know, right? Everybody look at them at first."  
"- So you roam, in this place, seeking for the less awkward bunny you could see?"  
"- Well… Yes, haha! I won't lie, yes! I'm here, all night and day, picking up on the people who seems completely lost!"

Nervously, Judy did laugh. "- Come on! Don't tell me you're gonna glue me all night long!"  
"- Why not? I mean, do you really wish to stare at _them a_ ll night? " Said the Serval, ponting just behind him an odd couple that the rabbit had the luck to miss until now, she immediately covered her eyes, holding back a gasp. This place was bringing her to the same state that she was when she discovered her first park of "naturalist" with Nick: Really, really, bothering.

"- Cause at least we could do that together, - _This is my fetish don't say it!_ " Did he whisper. As he laughed again. Then Judy smiled at her turn, nodding negatively without a lot of willpower: He was starting to make her laugh. Realizing that he won the right to sit next to her, the Serval proceeded.

"- Call me just Jolan. So, What is Judy Hopps doing here? "  
Holding back a gasp, Judy looked down, hesitating: "- W...Well got me inside..."  
Acting like it was completely natural, Jolander only rose one eyebrown.

"- Ow, no, no! I mean: Why would you visit such… a place! This bar rely on it! I mean. Normally, or you're into inter species relationship, and you're here. Or you aren't, and you're outside… I know you saved the predators of the city, I didn't know you were _into_ them. " Said the Serval, while ha was asking for his own drink.

Judy suddenly remembered the word that Murdock said to her. To stay alert. To don't spare too much information. She had to remember how we learned them to communicate without revealing anything at the police school, how to cover themselves. Judy studied hard enough to remember all these trick, fast! One: Answer to questions by questions, even the same one, make them talk more about themselves than about you. Judy immediately remembered that the situation weren't a her advantage: Men, especially womanizer and even more predator womanizer, were trying to make the _girl_ talk about herself. But Judy shouldn't expose any information to the guy. If Jolander was trying the pick her up, he would indeed act like that. Judy had to take the lead, to _pick up_ instead of him if necessary. Well, to reveal something to the Serval wouldn't be so problematic, but if there was a chance that Jolander tell about her to anybody related to the other's two, and everything will go wrong:

"- Well… I just kinda listen to Mr'Big's daughter advice: I guess I didn't really get the meaning of the place until I got in… But, hey! I see you there! Don't act like you're new here : I warn you, I'm not into inter-species! " Did she say, as she started to laugh.

The serval rose up his hands with a smile. Ironically acting like if he was caught while committing a crime.

"- Hey, it's just because I recognized you!" Responded Jolan. Judy jumped on the occasion:  
"- Ow, so you just… was curious? I thought..." Did she started, her ears fading behind the head, then she started to laugh when the serval, surprised, face palmed himself. As he realized that she outsmarted him for a second?  
"- Okay, okay, you got me! Jeez, I'm not asking _anything_ anymore!"  
"- Nice, then I take the lead, 'kay? hmmm: So, are you regular, here?"

Jolander smirked, obviously embarrassed. "- Well… well yes, I'm a really really huge regular. Chill, I'm not seeking for this kind of fun: I just _really_ like the cocktail here! "  
"- Suuuuuure!"  
"- Come on, it's not a whorehouse here! It's not like you could just come here to look at them: You have like like drinks before all."

Judy slightly looked at her drink, yes. She clearly wasn't here for the drink, the question was legit. And the place may be… a little sexy, it wasn't clearly the purpose of "Below The Fur". Nightclub may be filled with strippers, but you come to such a place in order to have fun, nor a party! But not to look only: Jolander was just curious.

And a little invasive, still:  
"- I… True, I wasn't suppose to come alone here..."  
"- Ah? Someone dared to ditch you?"

Right in the feels! Judy eyes went down and she closed her mouth. Yeah, he ditched _her…_ She had to swap to another subject. And rapidly, how was Mordock doing? To Judy, no need to turn, her ears pointed in the right direction and she listened, while she was answering the serval:

"- I don't wanna talk about him, just advised me the place, do you know him?"  
" , you mean? Yeah! Everybody know him here: In fact, he own the place. So..."  
"- Really?" Judy eyes widened. " - Ah! That explain a lot!"

The serval nodded, smiling: "- Don't mind if I join you for the night?"  
"- Well… Since my _duo_ won't come anymore, I don't think I will pass the night here… But, please: Don't tell _you_ came alone, waiting that a lady got ditched."  
"- Why not? It will be a good reason to roam in those nightclubs..."  
"- Come on, answer me!" Did say Judy, who was insisting, using her laugh and smile as a decoy to cover her interrogation. She needed to know if Jolander was just a handsome weirdo, or a cold-blooded predator…

And the sight the serval offered to Judy confirmed her doubts: He wasn't trying to pick her up: He was trying to catch information: His face contracted an instant on a pure grim of hesitation: no answers to give, huh? Judy kept up the mask: No need to make him realize that she wasn't believing him anymore: Jolander hesitated, but finally answered. But he made the mistake, he was to slow to make this look realistic:

"-Ah...I… Well, you know, in Tundratown, it's hard to find company, the best is to seek for it."  
Without losing her smile, Judy ears twitched: She didn't look back, maybe it was instinct, but she sure that a predator was looking at her spine: Maybe Murdock? He should have notice by now that she was busy with someone else. If it was really the case, the duo still had a very simple way to communicate with each other… But she had to answer, keeping up the act, Judy started to laugh again, softly:

"- I see! I guess you find one for the remaining!"  
"- It's still better that to remain alone! By the way, who were you waiting? You're long life partner, the fox?"  
"- Ow, we don't know each other since so long, but yes, I was waiting for him..."  
"- It's still a fox, I guess, even as a cop. It's a fox's thing to disappear at the worst moment..."

Judy swallowed her spit, that Jolan immediately noticed. "- Sorry? Was I offensive?"  
"- No! No… It's true that Nick isn't so… reliable."

Judy thought that she had bitten her tongue off, to lie like this was hurtful. Until now, Jolander still looked nice for Judy, but know that she was doubting him, his attitude seemed a lot more… aggressive. The little talk that the had during maybe twenty minutes was deeply analysed bu the rabbit. Behind the joke and the laugh, she felt that he was swiftly trying to learn more about her. Some questions about her ways… if she was often in this kind of place… With who… When..

Hopefully, she didn't have to stare him to death: in a discussion, the shortest smile was an excuse to look elsewhere. And Judy checked Murdock progression. The Snow Leopard wad doing great. His job was not only to talk to the targets and to learn more about their role at the side of Bellwether, but also to give to the police the possibilities to follow them. Implement a transmitter, learn about their routine, negotiate a date. There were many way to follow them, the hard part was to success. Murdock was talking to them, it seemed that they were talking very seriously. The couple of goats were two male, brothers, said the report. But one fact was unnerving, Murdock wasn't looking at her, not even a second. He was strangely prudent. But Judy could leave at any moment by herself. At least, if Murdock was so prudent, she should imitate him. So she waited, five, ten minutes. She waited until her phone ranged up in her pocket, and she immediately seized it. Her smile didn't faded when she read the message that was from Murdock, the spelling was anarchic, the words were basic:

''-It's a _Journalist_ , lose him, out, waiting, I placed a transmitter on Goats, they felt my lies, _fast, it's dangerous down there._ ''

Judy mind worked harder than never. If Murdock busted his cover, her will not last long. Judy acted like if she just receive a good news, and jumped down her chair:

"- Oh my god, I have to go! Excuse-me, Jolan, you know where to find me!"  
The serval, or now, the journalist, was not so easily dumped. But he had no real reason to keep her here at the risk to bust his own cover. But his hand restrained Judy's shoulder. His claws were tripping on the cotton of her shirt: "- Judy! Just tell me why you leave already! Don't we have fun?"

Without thinking about it, she answered. Pressed by the envy to get out of here the fastest way possible: "- Nick finally answered me! I have to go!"

Maybe was it by inadvertence. But the serval snappedout, his mouth twitched and he spitted out: "- But he's still asleep, at the hospital! You're lying!"  
Judy eyes widened and her smile faded away. She felt the look on her back, and turned only to meet the stare of Bellwether's Minions: Now there was problems. The Claws of the serval ripped her shoulder, the reflexes went on and took the lead. One second after, Jolander hurt the ground on his back, his wrist painfully distorted. And Judy ran outside before someone else decided to blocker her way. She jumped the stairs, four by four, and walked outside, looking to the right and the left, seeking for Murdock:

"- Murdock! We have to go! Murdock!"  
No one responded. And Judy took out her phone and her hand started to twitch on it rapidly. She noticed that she had received multiples messages from other people. From Bogo! Her mind filled with panic, she started to read them when a car sound startled her. A police car, Murdock! The vehicle stopped in front of her, and she jumped in, her duo was holding the steering wheel tightly and, right away, he started the vehicle again.

"- Judy! What were you doing!?"  
The rabbit noticed that the snow leopard wasn't calling her cutie. But she didn't attach it attention. She sat deeply on her seat, and her hand slowly applied on her forehead. She was breathing with difficulty, and behind her palm, her eyes widened.

"-...Murdock….Murdock, let's slowly recap all this..." Slowly, her forehead applied on her knees, and she whispered: "- And.. please, drop me at the hospital where was driven, I don't care how… You can take care of the report for me, huh?"

Murdock looked at her for a sec. Tundratown was a silent place at night… Only the light from the sidewalk enlightened his face, to show only some spark of his perturbed expression. Judy was extremely unnerved by the word of the serval: Do knew more than her about the state of Nick..Some journalist was probably next to the fox…  
And her, she wasn't. She nodded negatively, but Murdock started to sum up the night… Without chatting about what she asked him to do.

"- So...Let's sum up, Cutie. Nick is late, so I replace him at the job today. Cause him and I, we're con artist. Or a least we know how to success when other method fail. We're hunting Bellwether's leftovers. And we know that the Melt Brother can be found here… You got us in by asking to the proprietor, even if us policeman aren't really "allowed" to got in unless it's for a search warrant."

Judy took up the word: "- Then, at the place, I got the text: Nick is… Nick is wounded. We lost a lot of time cause you wait me… Cause you need me as backup if it goes wrong… Do you saw anything when you was waiting for me?"

"- Yes, cutie. I got a good memory, not a lot of people come after us, but the serval was with them. But I didn't notice him. He's _Hollander_ Spikes, alias "Listener". An investigation journalist. Our little trip to a nightclub will surely be on the newspaper tomorrow! Let's continue, you came out of the toiler and we start. I go talk to the Goats. And?"

"- And _Hollander_ land his goddamn attention on me, distracting me for the rest of the night! Didn't journalist have to decline their identity when the interrogate someone?"

"- Well that wasn't a legal interrogation, it's not like an interview, Judy. Anybody have the right to talk to you if they want: But they don't always have the right to make _public_ what you say then… Anyway: You're bothered by Hollander. And, on my side it goes...pretty well. Pretty well until someone, a bull, probably one of their hoodlum, get down the stair and advise them from something… I think they noticed the empty police car up there, cause I don't know how they turned so defiant either way. But I still got data: They're machinist, independent kind. They were building concept for Bellwether… Concept for what, I don't know… Maybe weapons?"

"- Weapons? The _savage_ gun was already effective. What could they design for her?"

"- Well I don't know Judy! Still, I got a list of some of their client and their regular commands. We know where to find them next."

"- I thought they recognized me at the last time..."

Murdock shrugged his shoulders: "- Then no need to hope to see them here again! Next, I go out, but as I aimed to you, I finally notice Hollander: This Motherfucker got me once, you know? He got me micro, and quoted me without contest..."

"-About what?"

"-… Forget it..."

"- Alright, I wasn't probably even _in_ the city at the moment, so I guess I don't care, okay!"

"- … Then, I got out and I start spamming you. Then you go out ten minutes later: Is the connection this low in this Nightclub?"

"- Yeah, I even started to received old Bogo's text once I was outside...Hollander saidsomething about Nick… I think a… a journalist is with them at the hospital. He busted my cover me since the start. Probably yours too, I guess. Did that guy followed us all day long?"

"-Probably cutie… probably… Come on, chill out. The hospital isn't that far. We're nearly here."

Then the silence slowly invaded the car. Only the vibrations was keeping them focused. Murdock was full oh hatred, probably thinking about Hollander. And Judy remained silent, as she was fixing the road. The light passing on her fur only revealing her sleepy expression and depressed posture. Chin on her own knees.

The trip was finally extremely long. The highspeed road was obviously condemned at they approach the Savannah district. For the exact same reason they were aiming to the place: These roads were the theater of a very violent spectacle this night. Murdock, for once, acted like a real gentleman, and didn't said a word during the trip. Even when they had to roll on the unusual street, slowly… The Snow Leopard was the only one to drive, in the Savannah District. His face finally start to loosen a little, less unnerve by the renouncement. His arm was dropping from the opened windows… And Judy, who had fallen asleep in her wrong position, slowly woke up as the hot wind, filled with very dispersed sand, hit her ears. The fur on her face was all dried up. Her lips cracked from the temperature change. Murdock was worse, since he had huge bags under the eyes. But between his lips, a cigarette already half-consumed started to fade.

At the end, Sun was starting to set a the horizon… Maybe it was 05AM. The sun was early here, like if on this side of the city, even the star was different. On the last hundred meters, the forced duo exchanged those words:

"- We're here, Cutie. The fox await for you, I will do the report later… I have to sleep a little."

"-… Please, Murdock. Call me Judy."

The two exchanged a long stare. It wasn't with any nerve that Judy was asking for that. But Murdock still hesitated, then he said, smiling:

"- So, why not Carrot, then? Nick call you this way, no?"

"- Well, yes… But why not using our real names?"

"- There is no real names between us, mate. Nick is Sly, you're Carrot, Whiskers, or Cute. Call me what you like, Judy. I won't mind, you shouldn't too..."

"- ...Then, maybe I shall call you _Driver_? Not really nice, tho..." Did she said, smiling swiftly. But Murdock laughed strongly:

"-Yeah, yeah, why not? Let's do this like that, mate! I can do that!"

The two laughed and the car stopped in front of the entrance. The place was practically empty, as Judy was walking out. Murdock voice toned a last time, with hesitation:

"- ...Judy?"  
"- Yes, mate?"  
"- Well, you know… about this paper Hollander wrote back..."  
"- Yes?"

"-...It was about… It was about the racism in the police station. He… he quoted me saying that '' Prey shouldn't even try to _hunt_ the crime like a predators could''… But I want you to know that I don't think a word of that anymore. Okay? I know I can be… hard to get along sometimes… But I swear to god Judy: I only have respect for you. Believe me: You saved not only the predators but this whole city. I know I was in the wrong back then… I just want to say that… this part of me is no longer existing."

Judy, surprised, a feet outside of the car. Didn't answered immediately. But slowly, a grim of a smile appeared on her exhausted face:

"- Yeah, no problem, _Driver!"  
_ She spreaded her hand to Murdock's elbow. Rassuring:  
"-I know you're a good guy, mate! And this paper seems to be full of crap anyway!"

The two exchanged a last smile. And second later, Judy was running trough the stair. Nick chamber wasn't this far. Bogo mail advertised her: The fox was still asleep when he left him. So maybe wasn't it useful to see him already. But Judy didn't care about that, the awful feeling that slept within her for the whole night was about to explode inside her. Judy was in the absolute need to catch a spark of the orange fur of her friend, to hear one of his jokes or one of his laugh for a moment.  
Then, after that, she would take a nap. But first, she had… to find… Nick.


	4. Chapter 4: Feed on the Gran Ubre

_TO YOU READERS: Haaaai, First of all: Thanks to all the new follow and suscribe! It's so nice from you! I noticed your comment, favs, and follow. Even if it's not much, I never had so much readers, I'm really glad that you follow my story! But I'm sorry, my time of publication will slow down, because, well, I won't to focus more on drawing on my free-time! So I will make HEAVY post, but I will post irregularly. I would like to see if I'm able to draw this story more that writing it ( plus I need to draw for mah school) : Don't hesitate to say your preference!_

 _On this chapter, Nick and Judy finally reunite in my fanfic. I will also talk about Finn again, and his relation and story with the other characters. (all fic, of course). So before this chap begin, I want to talk about the previz of Zootopia: I recently see on a tumblr (that I can't quote because Aaaaar, don't allow it) but the previz ofZootopia, apparently, contained another concept: When the "savage" disease who affect predators "only", the reaction of Zootropolis is to put TAME COLLAR on all predators, the idea was apparently abandooned because Zootopia, already pretty dark for some kid, would have turn really obscure with those. (And this decision seems legit, yup) But a lot of fanart appear on tumbre, twitt, etc, and some start to use this as a source of inspiration with some hashtag like #darkzootopia or #zoodistopia. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS FUCKIN' GOLD, SEEK FOR IT, WRITE OR DRAW ON IT, it's kinda edgy trash, but boi it's good. ( maybe tryto seek for zootopia concept art, we can see the collar there, there is also some news on it)_

 _I this chapter, even if my story was already more emo-like and edgy that the actual series. I took another step further by indulging me into an interpretation of Nick and Finn past. It's (of course not cannon, and I don't think that making fan-story more dark, edgy, or, in final, more emo that the basic story is a good habit: But this time is was inspired by a fan-art from **kit-ray-live** (and pls burn for their protection policy who restrain me to post a link to his work or tumblr, still I will advise you to go see his tumblr. Cause this guy make incredible zootopia fan-art (or another) and even some fan-art of DemonWriterX 's Zootopia Drabbles. ( I also advise you to read his work.) In case you don't find it or don't see the art I'm talking about, It's simply some image of Nick, back in the past and showing his (fanficted) relation with Tundratown mafia and Big Boss's Mama while he was younger. And I loved it and got inspiration from that: So I hope what I'm building down there will be likable: Don't hesitate to say it to me if it's not!_

 _As always, excuse me if my orthography is bad, ironically, I start to think that writing down this fic is starting to help me with my English!_

 _I'll also add that to me, this chapter conclude some kind of intro for my fic. Which main story-line is about to start._  
 _P.S: "Weekly" Belong to Blacksad._

* * *

Judy ran through the stairs with ease, even with all her exhaustion. But to move was slowly getting rid of the stiffness in her muscles. This place could easily be a maze for her. So the first thing that she did was to ask for help. A cute hedgehog showed her the way, but… that wasn't very helpful. Second later, and she was seeking for Nick between the maternity and the dermatological service. She found her way to the urgency only after a moment, it took her a long time to figure that he was probably sent here in the first place. Then she only had to follow what she could hear. Her ears perceived breathes, howl, mechanical beeps. Apparently, Nick had to go through an operation. Informed by a lady squirrel – who was also worn out. -, the rabbit was now seeking for him with a chamber's number.

She was surprised by the sound of a dispute. Hospitals were very quiet places, so this sound burst in her ear violently. This voice, those… words:  
Finnick?  
That was only two step away. In one jump, and Judy was already opening the door: The first thing she saw was the fox, who was resting upon a bed: A broken arm? This kind of wound… An opened fracture. And his… his jaw, oh my… Dislocated. And his leg! Oh my L…! Judy closed her eyes and growled. On the other side, Finnick was pulling a weasel by his tie. In a way more brutal way that Judy could pull Nick. And started to scream something at him with a language that Judy wouldn't understand, a horrible mix of vulgarity and hateful snarl. She wasn't in the mood to listen this gibberish!

"- Shut it, Finn! We're in a hospital!"

The fennec voice stopped, startled, the tiny predator turned his stare toward her. Still holding the tie of the weasel. This individual was way less… noble that Hollander. In the jacket of people used to walk into nasty place. The paparazzi madness around her and Nick has extinguished a long time ago. Judy asn't able to understand why people like Hollander and these guys were tracking them: It was nonsense, people like her and Nick weren't popular enough to make good title: The proof of that was that they were alone! Judy didn't even meet anybody else on her way: No journalist, no paparazzi: Why this weasel was here? As she was seeing that Finn wasn't going to release him, Judy advanced and seized the weasel by the back of his neck and pulled him out of the room. As Finnick was laughing: "- Yeah, Copper! Kick him out!"

"- Hey, hey! You can't do this! I have my card, I have the right to be here!"  
"- Your card of press don't allow you to be anywhere! Especially in a hospital! Even more in the chamber of a wounded officer! Out! Out of the place! Finn, press the nurse's bell!"  
Finn only replied, wavering his shoulders "- The _Waaaaaat?_ "

Judy, exasperated, turned herself toward Nick when she felt the warm of a flash upon her fur. Did that guy was seriously still taking picture? Slowly, she stared onto the weasel, who knew he had gone too far, Finnick laughed louder: "- Yeah Copper, come on! Whoop' his aaaaass!"

"-Hey, The name is Weekly! I don't insult you, at least!"  
"- I don't care, get. Out!" Finally shout Judy, closing the door on the muzzle of the weasel. Immediately, she went to Nick. Even if she was hearing the weasel roll onto the floor outside the room as he was howling in pain. The young journalist didn't dare to knock again on the door, hopefully for him. And Judy heard the sound of his rapid walk as he was getting away. Sadly, Judy trated him way more violently that Hollander, but this one was less persistent that the serval, Weekly, he said? She will remember it. But now, someone else deserved her attention.

Then she started to examine the fox with more attention. But the fennec sat down and started to resume her the fact with his usual rudeness:

"-Yo, no need to drop yo' tear on the body, cutie: He's alright!"  
"-Well he don't seems to! And don't call me by this name!"  
"- Ya, ya… Well, for _a dumb fuck_ who ran into a car, he's pretty alright: His arm will be fine, maybe something like four month, said the doctor Mouse. For the face, it's even funnier: Soup for one or two week: He didn't lost any teeth, he's just pretty much half-snake now. And for the leg… Well, apparently, it will be way more easy for him to scratch himself behind the ear."

Judy did smirk. But come on! Nick will be incapacitated for a least 4 Month! The fox wasn't very healthy with all his appendices. How will he even _survive_ this? Judy, who was listening to the calm breath of the fox. Yes, the tiny predator was alright. At least, he was alive. Judy had many question for them. She had many scream to shout. Why? Why did Nick do this !? This kind of inconsiderate courage wasn't like him… But now, the fox was asleep, and she was exhausted too… Finn noticed her sleepy look, and jumped out his own chair to give it to her.

"- Thanks you, Finn… You're going home? " Did she asked, as she was seeing that the fennec was going to the door. But he replied:

"-Nah, I'm just gonna seek another things to sit on. Don't bother and sleep, copper." Did he say as he was wavering his hand like if it wasn't important: Strangely, the tiny guy didn't seems to feel any need to fell asleep. Judy tried to say thanks, but her head went down on Nick bed. At the level of his belly: Moments later, the bunny was already asleep. Sneezing peacefully.

Back then, it was 10 PM. This night; Nick. A fox officer of the age of 32, got hospitalized with one broken arm and leg. A dislocated jaw and many other wounds or trauma over the torso, shoulders, and neck. All danger Diagnostic: His reeducation and convalescence should take at least four month. But the fox should be able to leave the hospital when he wish to, even if he will be advise that he should rest a least one or two week under the watch of a medical staff, in case of an  
hemorrhagic stroke. Later that night, he was join first by a tiny fennec, then by a weasel. Then, nearly 6 hours after it: Officer Judy came to his room, and threw out the weasel. It is now 01:PM, and the sun was setting high just outside:

 _I just wanna feel… I just want to be sure that I'm making something with this life of mine. To waste such a chance terrify me. You know, there is some place in this world where people_ _still_ _act like... animal,_ _or even worse_ _._ _To reach this place_ _is_ _a gift: a chance, an opportunity.  
Here, you could be __Free_ _.  
_ _Here, you could be Everything._

As he started to wake up, Nick felt like an incredible heaviness in his whole body. To woke up after an operation and after a G.A (general anesthesia) is a strange experience. To begin, the first thing who hit you is the _heaviness_ , the _slow_. Everything turn slow and heavy. Your tongue, your fingers. It's as you were locked in your own body, or chained all over it. But even the _mind_ is heavy, and first, you don't realize: the pain is diffused, low. And first, you have to yawn and to _move_ before you could feel anything. You only start to realize were you are when you try to follow your usual routine, and then notice that you miss your legs, or that is a needle is in your arm.

So, Nick woke up, ironically, he was used to feel paralyzed at the start of the day. So he just thought that he was in his bed, strangely awake for no reason. Even with his usual smartness and fast-thinking, the fox didn't even remembered why he couldn't be home. He didn't even notice the close white roof, and the clean smell all around him. He only understood that he wasn't in his crappy sofa when he wasn't able to seize his phone: Who would took it away? _When_? _And where?_ Those questions immediately brought reflexion: Then memories. He didn't move an inch, but his breathe went irregularly: He was alive. Gulping loudly, he tried to move his neck, to look around him: Obviously, a hospital. Those gloomy room could only belong to a hospital. But this wasn't the point, to Nick, unused to such a place, everything immediately seemed hostile: This place was raising into him a memory of another place. A way scarier place: The one him and Judy sneaked into, a place were predators were gagged and chained. A place were _people_ were _savage,_ streaked by a madness he never saw before. This place was nothing reassuring, but that wasn't the worse: The worse was that he was unable to move, he was even unable to talk! His tongue was like a ridiculous amount of dead meat filling his mouth. Only his breath increased slightly. A slight modification that were enough to trigger the reaction of a focused predator.

"-Nick?"  
"-...hh..."  
"-Nick? Hey! Hey da'bunny! I think he's waking up! Yo chick! Are ya' listenin'?"  
"- Hrrrrm, what…?"

The two tiny individuals had heavy bags under their eyes. But If Judy was still completely asleep, her head on the bed of the fox. Finn, him, was sitting right in front of him, in a chair too big for him. To wait was a predator's thing, maybe that was because of his nature that the tiny fennec didn't seem to need any sleep in his current state. On the other hand, his language seemed to return to their worst origin.

"- Jeez' Copper! I said that Nick is wakin' up! Come on, I'm gonna seek for some dumb' medic: Yo check him!"  
"- But, Finn, we can just press the nurse bell..."  
"- Ah, yes, this _thing._ "

As Nick tried to say something, Judy jumped in the sight of the fox. She was climbing in his bed, then on his body. And Nick eyes met Judy again.

"-Finn! Nick! Are you alright?"  
"-….Hhh..."  
"-Oh my god, sorry, sorry! Don't talk, Nick, don't try to! You're only feeling the after effect of the anesthesia, calm down."  
"-… You...Judy..."  
"- Yes, Nick, yes!?"  
"-…. Judy..." did repeat the fox, slowly moving his head, finally able to speak and to move, only to realize that he _couldn't move his arm and leg_. Nick raised his left hand: Of course, the right side of his body was probably smashed, but to what extent? Is throat wasn't painful, but is tongue was so… heavy! Judy noticed it, and her pawn join the opened hand of the fox. Who was moving irregularly, with difficulty. Finn pressed the bell's button.

"- Ya should climb down from his torso, Copper. I think that would help him to talk! He's not dying, spare us the panic!"

Judy gasped and obtempered immediately. It wasnt very clever to climb on him, but the rabbit was kinda used to it. As soon she leaved him, the fox slowly turned his stare. Able to follow them, and he saw the fennec, wearing his usual annoyed expression: Finn, as the opposite of Judy, wasn't able to sleep even a little. But now that he saw the fox opening his eyes, it seemed that to sleep wasn't a problem anymore… Finn's eyes seemed to fade away. The fennec walked back, directly to his chair. Laughing lightly. Finn was visibly content with this sight: Nick finally said a word. But he still needed to sleep. Not him, but Nick had to.

"- Give him more room to breathe! He don't seems ready to litsen at your useless sobbing!"  
"- Finn! But It's/"  
"- Oh come on, I don't wanna listen to this neither! Let him rest, for god'sake!"  
"- But!"

Hopefully, the entrance of a nurse stopped their conversation, which started to grow louder. The expression of the nurse, a panda, was clear enough. Nick eyes were closing already, as a smile slight appeared on his face. Only Judy really heard what the fox whispered between his teeth.

"- Go… get me a coffee, Carrots...All is k'ay"

Finn jumped out of his chair with exasperation, still no sleep for him, it seemed. Ad Judy was looking back at Nick with her painful mood, the fennec hand grabbed her tail and pulled her outside. She didn't really resist but didn't really followed him neither, and kept his look on the fox as the nurse walked to him, asking him questions while she was examination him. Pulled by the firm grip of the fennec, the rabbit and the tiny predator walked through the white long corridor of the place. To Judy, who slowly started to look up to her surrounding, the hospital was a surprisingly noisy place. Ironically full of "life" and movement: There was always people at the emergencies. Coming cause of little wounds or annoying disease. Some people with real problems…

She was surprised by the inattention around them, nobody was questioning them. There were clearly not a part of the medical crew, but _no one_ was noticing their presence! For Judy's police mindset, this looked dangerous: Could anybody walk there? Maybe was it like this that this...weasel reached Nick: But Judy didn't have anybody to talk about this with: Instead of why she was dragged away from the fox by his tiny friend. She opened her mouth to speak when she realized that the fennec was moving without any delay: He knew the place? Releasing herself, she stated:

"- Let me go, Finn! Where are you dragging me?"  
"- Well, to the cafeteria, Nick did ask for a coffee, didn't he?" Replied Finn, without any tone nor annoyance in his voice. Surprised, Judy, softened, whistled between her teeth:

"- You...You know this place?"  
"- Well, it's more _Nick_ who know it, thee aren't many hospitals in Zootropolis, yah know. St-Dunkey, and here, Gran Ubre!" Replied the fennec as he keep walking.  
"- You came here before?"  
"- And many! What? You expect that Nick got out of all his _hustle_ and tricks without trouble? And guess who get the wounds, usually?"  
"- You were _cured_ here?"  
"- Well, enough to know where is the damn cafeteria. And where to pick some paper to read." He added, waving a journal caught from nowhere just under the muzzle of the rabbit.

They walked through some stairs, met some nurses, some doctors. When Judy was trying to aboard the subject of the fox with them, Finn was dragging her away. Rapidly, they found themselves waiting, lining up to get something to eat, with other members of the medical staff: Clearly this cafeteria was only for those who worked here. But no one was asking them to leave, most of the people were even saluting the fennec: Judy realized that when Nick was saying that he knew any place of Zootropolis, he also meant that he knew any _body_ in Zootropolis. A knowledge that Finn did also have, it seemed.

"- Choose your food, and don't forget the coffee! I'll pay, so don't bother." Mumbled Finn, who was playing with his claws while examining them. A predator's habit.  
"- You're sure?"  
"- Yeah, yeah, don't bother me!"

Finn didn't realize that those word should be forbidden in front of Judy. Second later, they founds themselves, sitting at the same table. Finn with nothing more than a cup of coffee the size of his body, plus a sandwiche with reptile meat, apparently the usual food to a fennec. But Judy, on her side, had obviously way to many food: If Finn sandwiches was at least adapted to his size, well Judy portion weren't designed for someone of her stature. Classic rabbit food: Carrots, carrots, and carrots. But carrot designed for a bull. Slowly looking at this incoming catastrophe for his wallet, Finn said, with a tired expression, his lips pinched on a grimace:

"- Yeah, I said don't bother."  
"- Yes you said it!"  
"- Well never again. Come on, enjoy your break _fat_ and let's go back!"  
"- Understood, cap'tain!"

The fennec sighed, and started to sip on his coffee with the same expression. But as he felt Judy's stare upon his face. He raised an eyebrow: Judy was looking innocently at him, enjoying her food but staring at Finn without blinking. The fennec wasn't an example of internal peace. So he rapidly got annoyed: he left his straw and said, nervously:

"-… Come on, say it! Don't stare me to death!"  
Immediately, Judy gulped her food and asked, visibly amused:  
"- Well, I realized that I don't really know you, Finn, soooo..."  
"- I get it, you wanna learn more about Nick _by_ learning about me?"  
"- Yeah!… Oh, excuse me, it wasn't very nice, huh?"  
"-No, it wasn't. But what you did to my wallet just now is way more evil, so I guess you pass...:" Did he mumbled with a light smile.

Finn took another gulp of his coffee, and closed his magazine. Visibly waiting that Judy choose a question to ask him. But the officer had simply too many. After a short reflexion, because she's a bunny, after all, she decided to ask the widest:

"- Well, when did you and Nick met?"  
"- Wow, that a wide's one! Well… I was… maybe, maybe 17? Nick was 15, that I'm sure of it… I was in some house for bad child in Savannah District, don't wanna remember the name, you know..."  
"- Nick was in a residence for bad child?"  
"- Well, I know why I was ! Hit'em with the bat, you know? But for Nick, I know less, it seemed that he bullied some young preys. Not the rough kind of bully, more the pernicious one. Child and adult, everyone he disliked, it seemed..."  
"-Really, Nick was _caught_ tricking people and that got him into a residence ?"  
"- Well, not really: Nick dropped out of school, then his parents sent him there: Nick never was litteraly _caught_ , but his victims knew him… I mean, it's a fox, yah know..."  
"- Come on Finn! Didn't we already talk about this?"  
"- You know what I mean! It was them doing the discrimination, not me! Anyway, who care...: We're far away from this hellhole, now..."

Then, Finn ceased to talk, as Judy slipped another carrots between her teeth. Rapidly, she realized that the fennec wasn't going to proceed any further when he opened his journal again: She gulped another bite of the food, waving her tiny palm at the fennec. Who slowly rise an eyebrow, as he was still drinking on his straw:

"- What it is again?" Did he finally ask, unnerved.  
"- Well, why did you stop? "  
"- Huh? You wanna know _more?_ "  
"- But of course! I mean, you didn't just got blood-bro with Nick at first sight! No?"  
"- Wow wow, chill, chiiill, we're not _friend_ , at least, partner. Comrades, at best."  
"- Come on Finn! Nick was selling popsicles made from your _footprint_. You were playing the baby for him! You did that foe years! No?"  
"- Thanks for the nice memories. Yipee."  
"- I mean: you two know each other since childhood! And you _stole_ together for years! Partners? Just partners?"

Judy made a displeased grim as she remembered that Finn was kind of a _criminal_ that she should arrest sometimes. But Finn face turned way more offended. Sawing this, Judy also remembered that the tiny guy was still a predator, something she learned to not care about. But Finn, him, didn't forget about it. His accent, his attitude, everything but his size was designed to be threatening. And it was kind of ironic that Finn was way more dangerous than Nick, in fact. His history between him and the fox was unknown. But Judy did read the police report about the fennec: Back in the old day, this guy was way more violent that his role with Nick could suggest. And in fact, Even Nick was way more into crime that his ridiculous Popsicle traffic could suggest: His link (and problem) with the mafia from Tundratown proved it. And Finn remembered her as he he speaked again: With a tone she didn't knew Finn could use:

"- It's not because Me and the Fox shared some room when we were 16 that we're BFF Like you're to him!"  
"- But, I mean..."  
"- What are you, 25? I'm 35, and Nick 32! You don't know shit about him! What did he told you? "

Around them, some "shh" started to appear. It was an hospital, after all. And even if they didn't have to be silent here, it was still a place where the staff would like to rest. But that didn't stop the fennec, who jumped on his feet and started to nearly clip on the tiny table: He was rising himself under Judy's muzzle:

"- Nick didn't did to you the countless shits he did to me! This guy is made of backstab, hustle and trick! He have tools, not friends!"  
"- Finn! Are you nut!? Nick threw himself in front of a car for people he didn't even knew! How could you insult him this way!?"

Finn's mouth opened on a silent roar: He didn't knew what to respond. Yes, it was insane, but Nick did that. Seeing that he wasn't responding, Judy pursued:

"- And what are you doing here if he's not your friend?"  
"- …. I don't know what you did to the fox, but yes. He changed: You can see where it leaded him."  
"-… Are you blaming me for _that?_ "  
"- … I don't blame you, why would I anyway… It's just that Nick isn't made for this kind of stuff, this kind of heroic action: That your thing, not his: He's better at selling popsicle, and he was making more money."  
"-… Is your life all about making money, Finn?"

This, this sentiment. Finn pointed it accurately. It was this feeling he hated: This surge of shame upon his shoulders. He didn't felt that since he last saw his mom. He hated it, but Finn only gulped. Paralyzed. The fennec slowly licked his fang as he kept his lips closed. Firmly closed. He backed off, jumped on the ground mumbling:

"-...Finish your ration for elephant, fatty: You can go back to the fox with his damn coffee: I'm out of here, need to sleep. See ya:"

Judy didn't tried to stop Finn. She wasn't very sensible, maybe her countryside origin. But she could see that Finn was unnerved and offended. Slowly, as he faded away, the rabbit closed her violet eyes and sighed. Massing her forehead to appease her exhaustion: Yes, she had to get back to Nick now. Without his friend… Or Partner, anyway.

"Who care." Did she thought with resentment. She jumped off her chair and found the way back to Nick's room. After many fail, of course. Those halfway were all similar, as she walked through many other service, through many doors.  
When Judy young, she always wanted to be a policeman, literally everybody know it now. And everyone who read any paper about her also know that her parent did all they could to make her choose another future. Any other future.  
And, between all the proposal, all the ideas, and all the jobs they advised her, some nearly interested her. At this age, she was trying to ease the pain of her parents. Many time she thought about choosing another future, many time she came back to this idea right away. But some jobs were a convincing future: A possible one. And, when they were seeking for any ideas, they realized something: their girl wanted to _help_ people. Before she wanted to show that race weren't a limit, she also wanted to help people.  
So, why not working as a nurse, a medic?  
Yes, in the past, Judy had many thought about becoming a nurse. Judy's power of will was and is still astonishing, powerful, mighty, permanent. A willpower that got her major of her promo, a willpower who leaded her here.  
Or at least she thought she got such a power.  
She remembered the pain, the exhaustion when she was in the police's school. All the work and the barrier she surpassed. And now that she was here, she realized it didn't mean anything. It not that work in a hospital is _hard_. But she realized that her motivation was… a kind of one-sided sword: A weapon that she could only use in one way: She couldn't bear to work here for even one day.

The smell, the wounded. Nothing scary or gore.  
Something different. When she reach the emergencies, she heard a woman. An old goat, screaming something un-understandable. Not especially lousy, but just enough to notice her easily. Judy natural care for other made her stop, she saw that some nurses was hearing her, and even reacted normally, fast enough. Judy realized that she was screaming she wanted to go to the restrooms. That she wanted to pee. And slowly, without a laugh, people were taking care of her. As they were talking to each other in the same movement. As she walked, she saw a huge tiger, very old, immobile, with a short amount of saliva from his mouth. Only his eyes were moving?

And Judy felt that she was going faster, that she was fleeing him. He wasn' tdirty, he wasn't scary. Just a short amount of spit was flowing from his mouth. And he was, perfectly, immobile. And since he wasn't asking for, no one was looking at him, even if he was surrounded by other people waiting for an examination, by other nurses talking about the fox with half of his body broken.

As she reached Nick's room. Judy realized that this place was horrifying to her. A slight feeling of unease that she couldn't bear for a very long time. Hospital were a place were animals life value slowly… fade for the people working in it. Not that they were seeing the animals life as useless or ot important. They were so… used to see them in _pain,_ diseased, defaillant. To take care of them was like signing a fine for her. Cleaning the vomit of someone was like pronouncing the word "police" to her. What Judy could do didn't mean anything here. And that scared her: She remembered all those time when she asked for an ambulance with her radio. How many time she send people there, without even thinking anymore further about them as they disappeared into an ambulance. Until she saw it, it was like if the hospital was just a big fat building were wounded people were thrown into and then were recycled into a perfectly sane and safe individual again.

Judy was slightly running when she opened the door. While this walk,she swloy but surely turned on Nick all her thought in order to not notice too much the things around her. And, with those thought, came back the panic tainted with a slight relief: Nick waked up! He was fine, alive! With some broken bone and pain, but nearly perfectly fine. She couldn't wait to jump on him! To harass him with so many question about what happened! The rabbit, with her long ears pointing in Nick direction, realized that he wasn't, his bed.

"- Nick?" Did she ask, as she was widening her eyes.  
"- Ow, Yes, give us a second" Said a feminine voice, coming from to another room, right next to the bed, smaller and with her own lamp, immediately, Judy took a step forward.  
"- Is he alright?"

An "hmmmf" resonated before the voice of the nurse responded. "-Yes yes, we're just..."  
She was cut by another muffled negative sigh. Judy took another step and peeped in the room. Only to back off right away, Nick desperate sigh coming out in a painful "-...Don't!". Judy smiled while her face started to glow incredibly red. Nick voice, with a desperate tone, resonated again:

"-Hhh… Come...on Judy! You can't even wait for a sec!?"  
"- There there, everybody need help to do that anyway!" Responded the nurse, while Judy hood her face behind her hand. Feeling an incredible burning sensation on his whole face.

Second later, Nick was lying again on his bed, and the nurse was leaving the room. Judy sat just next to him: She had many question when she walked into the room. But now, not even one was coming out of her mouth, and Nick was looking by at the windows, calm and immobile; Finally, Judy took the speak:

"- This was an okay butt back there."  
"- Could we please not talk about it!?"

Judy suddenly burst in laughters, all negative mood already forgotten. And Nick tried to push her away with his hand, but she was sit to his right, where he was less capable right now. Standing between him and the windows, light coming from her back. Her figure wasn't very visible for Nick if he wasn't looking right at her face. He spoke again, not smiling:

"- I mean, seriously! You don't know what W.C are made for? Ere, let me tell you: Privacy!"  
"- Privacy? Oh, yes, Hahaha! It was sur every intimate, this… this huge lady-bear helping you.. Oh god I can't, Nick, please! HAHAHA, Oh my goood!"  
"- Yeah, yeah, laugh at it, give me my coffee, then: Don't spill it with your laugh dammit!"

Starting to calm herself progressively, Judy banded over the bed with difficulty due to her high. And pushed the straw between Nick lips. And the fox started to sip the coffee, slowly and with difficulty, it seemed. But as he was drinking, Judy rose up her eyes to his. Nick was under the light, and Judy, finally, really looked at him. Her smile faded away as she noticed all those bruise on his face: His fur was… irregular, his chin obviously hurt. At least both of his eyes were opened, and his smirk was still here. But to saw him in this state slowly put her in a miserable mood. He even needed help to go to the W.C. How could this be okay? Out of nowhere, Nick started to cough, and Judy climbed higher, Her hand went behind his head, and slowly, she helped him to change to a fitter position to drink.

"- ...Thanks, Carrots… So, still wanna see this movie?"  
"- You're here for at least a week, Nick. We'll have to wait a little for that..."  
"- Come on, positive fact: I'm gonna get some sweeeet vacation."  
"- Please, you know Bogo's rule..."  
"-… I probably didn't listen to this one. No?"  
"- It's IDGAF, Nick, you're going to work as soon as you can."  
"- And you? Don't you have a job to do?"  
"- Well technically, I'm still on duty… But Murdock took care of that for me..."

A oppressive silence invaded the place. The rabbit officer had a hard time: Many questions, many need, many sentiment were waiting to explode. Obviously able to perceive that, Nick was staring at here, lying still. And patiently waiting for her to say what she had on the heart. But she wasn't able to talk anymore, it seemed. She understood that Nick Stare was stunning her. And, after she let a gasp flow out of her mouth, Nick finally started to talk:

"- You know, I thought you would be a lot more demonstrative than that. I expected you to jump on my head, to scream in my ear, to cry, to laugh..."  
"-… yes, I expected that too."  
"- What is on your heart, carrots? Come on, I'm not going anywhere this time, you can talk without fear, I'm not gonna eat you!" Did he say, giving a look at his broken arm. As she realized she would have to talk about everything she had on her heart, Judy put away the coffee, and with a strange feeling of fear, joined her hands. Her ears fell on her back.

"- Nick… What happened?"  
"- Classic, Judy, a mad car, not a lot of way to stop it."  
"- No Nick! I mean, I mean: What happened to you ?"

The fox didn't said a word, but his eyes slowly started to close, his smirk faded:  
"- Judy, what do you mean?"  
"- I… I mean, that, how did you get the courage to do this ?"  
"- What, you mean you didn't think that I could do it? That I couldn't protect those people?"  
"- Nick that's not it! Nick, you… How were you able to put your life on the line so easily? Didn't Bogo ordered you to don't do it?"  
"- Of course he did! But wouldn't you have done the same?!"  
"- Nick, oh Nick, that is not the point, I mean…"  
"- What!? Judy please, is this even a problem we had to discuss about?"  
"- Yes! Yes it is!"  
"- Well I don't see why! I did my job back there!"  
"- Your job was to follow Bogo order, to evacuate them!"  
"- Please Judy, my job was to protect them, to _save_ them. I can't believe you're giving me the same argue that Bogo will do. What the fuck, Judy?"  
"- Language!"

Nick eyes rolled and he whispered another insult. As he did, Judy jumped on the bed, nearly right on him:

"- Nick! Please listen to me!"  
"- I'm all ears, but not for another shitty sermon!"

Judy close her mouth and her expression scowled. She wasn't sad, at Nick surprise. This face was wearing an aggressive expression: The fox was surprised, he was sure of Judy dependance to him: He still had those word in head, those supplication of the bunny. The cries she had while she sought for his help. For his friendship. Nick always thought that Judy was terribly bound to him; and he was right: But bonding could take many face: Friendship, Love. All those sentiments weren't contradictory to hate or resentment: The opposite of those sentiment was the indifference, and Judy was everything but indifferent to Nick's life.

"- Well you'd better listen to this one: Never do that again, Nick. Or I swear to god I'll make sure you stay in that bed forever!"  
"- Come on Judy! You're not my damn mom! You can't want me to _do the right thing_ and to join the police if you can't accept that this job include danger!  
"- _It wasn't your job to jump in front a rolling car."  
"-_ You know I hadn't any other choice. Judy, seriously? Who do you think you are, heh?"

Judy advanced on him, her hand grabbed the top of his ears and she widened her eyes.  
"- Promise, Nick!"  
"- What, you want me to _lie,_ now?"  
"- Well promise without lying Or then quit!"

Growl.  
Nick claws fused and grabbed one of her hand as he violently advanced. But immediately, a grim of pain stopped him: To rose up so suddenly was too much for his wounded body, it seemed. Still, he didn't released her: She was still pulling on his other ear, and their discussion was turning into childish contest.

"- What gotten into you, you dumb bunny? _You_ , of all person, tell me to quit?! You're that scared that I got hurt?"  
"- Only cat got Seven life: You should be dead, you realize?"  
"- Haha, this is the best: I remember a Bunny, standing still: On a train, at full speed! You know, this bunny should quit, always to eager to put her life on the line!"  
"- But you're not _me_ Nick!"  
"- Thanks god!"

…  
They didn't really have much more to say; or to scream. Here they were, Nick was growling, Judy was persistent. But there is some logical rule into a contest of will like those. The one who was right, sooner or later, wasn't the one crying at the end. And, maybe ten second later, Judy face twitched. Nick breath was still when her got disrupted. To keep his hand up was too difficult for the fox, But Judy's grip on his ear was still strong. His hand, still firmly close on her own, went down on the bed.

"- … Startin' to cry again, Carrot?"  
"- F**k you!"  
Nick snorted, surprised: "- Wow, language! Is this how bunnies talk?"  
Judy was in the wrong, and she realized it at the first answer from Nick. But to accept it seemed too hard. Nick joke didn't make her laugh. But it disrupted too much to keep up the stare: she closed her eyes, but Nick recognized this sound, the sound who came form her closed mouth. She was about to cry, and Nick, ironically, felt incredibly reassured: He thought for a moment that Judy was _serious_ about this. Or was at least moved by something else that the care she had for him. But apparently everything was fine: Those tears was the proof that everything was alright:

"- You sure have your way to take care of your hospitalized friend! Judy's style: Scream on the wounded fox, he will probably feel better."  
"-You're not out of this, I swear!"  
"- Of course, of course: Those heroics act deserve more punishment, but later, okay? By the way, could you release my ear? It's starting to hurt, you know?"

Judy opened his hand as she continued to complain. Immediately, with a sigh of relief, he lied correctly on his bed, again: She wasn't looking directly at him anymore, her ears were lowered and she was shaken by some kind hiccups. Those hiccups that were preceding sobbing. With a grumpy tone also shaken by hiccups, Judy tried to pull off his hand, still locked in the closed hand of the fox:

"- Nick...Nick, release me!"  
"- Punishment later. Hero of the day need hug, and silence."  
"- Hero of _Yesterday_."  
"- Shhh, don't listen to the jealous complain of the inefficient police officer, Nick. You're a hero, bruh. You and Finn saved the day, Hey, did someone release a paper on me?"  
"- You already got the one back from Bellwether's affair! Release me!"  
"- There is never enough." Gravely said the fox with a smirk on his muzzle. He slightly turned his head to look up by the window again. And, before Judy could complain again, she pulled her down.

In civilian dress, the rabbit laid on the fox body kinda violently. Screaming in disapprobation. And, even for Nick, it was too much proximity: But the fox remembered this time. In the car, when his hand was on the steering wheel, he remembered that his last thought weren't for Him, Finn, his Parent, or his Past. But that his thoughts were only about her, about Judy. And slowly, he smiled as she didn't try her hardest to release from his grip. Looking in the opposite direction, toward the shadows, Judy stopped to resist. In all form: Tears suddenly dropped from her eyes and she started to sob. Nick laughed despite of her serious behavior.

"- Noooo, not this torture again!"  
"-...Snirf, pls… hic, shut up!"

But she didn't ask him to release her again. As her head and hear laid on the fox torso trough the white sheet. And she tighten her knees and position. Still shaken by two didn't aboard the subject of Finn's absence, it didn't seemed important to Nick's eyes and Judy was caring too much for Nick to thought about that.

 _Bom Bom.  
The heart-rate of a fox is way higher than a human, still, those of a bunny are even more quicker._

Listening to the sound emanating from Nick. Judy noticed the heart-beat of the fox, who looked very slow for her. Still, she realized that was due to their physical difference. Nick stopped to talk, and only kept on breathing. As she did.  
After a minute, the sob started to fade, and she snorted.  
"- Don't blow your nose on me, please." Did he say, but Judy didn't answer, and applied her head on Nick without any other shout or word.  
The tears stopped to drop after many second. Rapidly, Nick, who was appreciating the heat of the light on his face also felt warmth coming from her. She was half laying on him, was she asleep?

"-Nick?"  
"-Yes?"  
"- Could we talk later? Again?"  
"- Of course, Judy, of course."

She was already asleep.  
Outside, far from this hospital, people were moving, something was starting.  
On his desk, half-asleep, Murdock, fit snow-leopard, 32 years, same as Nick, was typing his report. While he was thinking about the affair he was working on and the presence of Hollander on the palce.  
Not very far from him, Chief Bogo was reading an issue on the affair last night, patiently noticing the strange amount of information on Nick. And, hopefully, the absence of knowledge on _who_ was pulled of this mad car after the accidents.  
At the entry of the police station, Clawhauser was slightly looking at his phone, noticing the pictures that a journalist caught of the incident.  
On the street, choosing pictures between hundred of them, a smelly weasel, Weekly, defiant, was about to call a private detective only him knew.  
In Tundratown, message was passing by. The mafia was moving, as Big Boss said them to do.  
On a terrace, Hollander was talking to many friend about what he learned.  
And no really far away from him, two goats were listening.  
Judy was asleep, finally resting correctly from her missed night. Nick was awake, all smile blown away from his face now that Judy was appeased. Their hand ied together.

And, not really far from them, slowly walking to an awful place. Finn was clenching his fist, baring his teeth. With an even more awful expression on his muzzle. History wasn't meant to be forgotten, friend, partner. Unknow and awful thing were twitching under his skin. His hand slowly reached his neck and he mumbled: "- ...Didn't do to you what he did to me… Don't know...anything...". Widening his eyes, Finn remembered, he remembered where they put the memories, the past. He remembered where Nick decided to put it. Where to throw it away, all the things they decided to never use again. The things Nick decided to never use again, even if he had already took care to never get really involved. Finn, him, was into this mud to the neck, he followed Nick, followed him until he was dropped out.  
Again.  
Finn was walking to a very, very awful place, A place where his tiny step could be noisy as an elephant footstep. Yes, Something was starting.


End file.
